Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

I really want to get to this place that I accidentally spoiled myself on when I read the Bean Valley map, so I head back to Booster Tower...

I wish this game had an item bank of sorts, but probably that would make this game too easy.

There's one of the clowns we fought earlier!

I touch him, no battle encounter, thank goodness, so I have Mario talk to him!

Knife Guy: "Hee hee hee heee...I'm...really, REALLY sorry about before...here, I'll make it up to ya! Hee haaaaaw...are we having fun yet?...Hee hee hee."

What are we doing now?

Knife Guy mentions that that was just practice, now for the real thing.

I accept his challenge, whatever his "real thing" was.

He tells us to watch for which hand the yellow ball is in.

I guess the left one! I win...a Wilt Shroom, or a Wilted Shroom, which only heals 10 HP!

I try his challenge again.

Everytime I win, I get Wilted Shrooms. Is this a joke? I heal Mario and Geno with them, though.

I try again.

After playing his juggling shell game three times, I get a different prize, a Rotten Mush!, which heals 5 HP...

After a few more challenges, I get a Moldy Mush!

The juggling shell game seems to be more quicker this time, or shorter on one instance!

I throw away all the bad mushrooms...

One final game with Knife Guy, and he congratulates me!

This time, he gives me...a Bright Card! Yessss!

Just like the sleeping Toad in Marrymore said, there is a Casino!

---

I decide to scale Booster's Tower again!

In one battle, I get double XP! Yes! Peach levels up to 17! So does Geno, and he learns a new move: Geno Flash! I boost their attack and defense!

Atop the balcony, we see Booster and his Snifits, with his mouth wide open, waiting for his next bride...eeeeee....

Mario wisely backs away...

In the stairway of marching Spookums, I get the last hidden chest block, which has a Frog Coin!

Now I head back to Bean Valley.

I find out on the way that I can only carry 999 coins at a time!

We're here! I save near the five pipes and wait for the Shy Away to water the Piranha Plants so I can take them on again.

I sink into the top pipe!

After taking on the Chomp Chomp, I have Mario jump in the corner near where he stood. Hearing the super mushroom audio cue, I'm getting somewhere!

Three jumps later, the yellow platform and the passage opens!

So the Bright Card was the key that opened the way in, huh?

I take the platform block and head in the passage...

...back to the world map!

---

The casino outside looks like a big house.

I have Mario enter.

There are two Toad doormen in suits blocking the way to the casino.

They let us pass inside.

And here is one half of the Guys, Grate Guy!

So now, let's see what we can do here...

I have Mario talk to Grate Guy again, who's concerned about Booster's bride search.

After looking around, where there's a blackjack table, I talk to Grate Guy again, who offers to play "look the other way" with him.

I have Mario say yes.

So the game is to either press left or right on the control pad and make sure Mario's facing the other way where Grate Guy's raised finger is.

After losing the first game and winning the second, I get another Rotten Mush!

Grate Guy and Knife Guy are really bad at being good...

After a few games, I win a few Mushrooms, but mostly Wilted Shrooms and Moldy Mushs.

I stop after awhile and play the slot machines, which is a slot machine chest block. Since I have 999 coins, I put them to good use.

I'm not that lucky my first try.

The second try I get three Stars, and the Frog Coin as a prize!

For the blackjack table, it costs 1 Frog Coin to play!

No beginner's luck for me this time!

I leave and save at Monstro Town.

Well, I thought the casino would have more minigames in it...